Sophronitis coccinea in S/H?

[DelawareJim]

No, I didn't have the nerve. I almost lost my plant until "Mini-Catts" advised me to treat it more like a Cattleya (which technically it is now). I re-potted in bark and it saved my plant.

Last night it was awarded "Best Grown" in my local orchid society with 12 blooms and 1 bud.

Pictures to follow...

Cheers.
Jim

---------- Post added at 06:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:41 PM ----------

12 blooms, 1 bud on an 8 inch plant. Average bloom spread is 2-1/2 inches.









Cheers.
Jim

[Maryanne]

I grow mine in net baskets in open medium covered by some sphagnum moss for moisture. Then, the net basket is slipped into a regular pot the next size up. That way, you get the air circulation the roots need as well as the moisture.

The very large flowered ones are 4N meaning they have been treated with to achieve the "double" about of chromosomes. The smaller flowered ones are "regular" 2N that Mother Nature intended. I have both types and I am sort of inclined to like the 2N better.

Good luck!
ML

[LeeB]

J & L in Easton, CT usually has S. c. for sale.

[Fairorchids]

Originally Posted by Maryanne

I grow mine in net baskets in open medium covered by some sphagnum moss for moisture. Then, the net basket is slipped into a regular pot the next size up. That way, you get the air circulation the roots need as well as the moisture.

The very large flowered ones are 4N meaning they have been treated with to achieve the "double" about of chromosomes. The smaller flowered ones are "regular" 2N that Mother Nature intended. I have both types and I am sort of inclined to like the 2N better.

Good luck!
ML

Well, yes and no. While most 4N clones are the result of deliberate chemical treatment (of seed protocorns or meristems), there are exceptions:

A. There are the occasional 4N mutations found in nature. One such example is Paphiopedilum insigne, var. 'Harefield Hall'. I have another Paph species, which I suspect is 4N, but it is seed propagated, so it might be the result of chemical treatment.

B. On occasion the basic meristem process leads to random 4N mutations. One such example is C. Caudebec 'Linwood' AM/AOS. In a batch of C. Caudebec 'Carmela' HCC/AOS, about 10% of the plants turned out to be 4Ns. From these Waldor Orchids selected the 'Linwood' clone, which is now readily available as a meristem.

C. When someone seed propagates two 4N clones, whether they were chemically induced or not, there is an argument for considering the seedlings natural 4Ns.


Whether 4N is preferable to 2N is a matter of personal perspective. I have both of the Caudebec clones mentioned above, and have bloomed 'Carmela' with as many as 14 flowers on the spike (it can have more). 'Linwood' is much bigger and fuller, but according to Waldor it never sets more than 10-11 flowers to the spike, and it is a slower grower.